Larry Estep was a multi-sport athlete in high school but wrestling became his love. As a senior at Geary High School, he placed at the regional tournament and was runner-up at state. After graduating from college in 1968, he began coaching and teaching at Guthrie High School until he was drafted into the U.S. Army. He was sent to Vietnam in November of 1969. Five months later, while serving on a reconnaissance team, Estep was hit during the initial burst of an enemy mortar attack. He continued firing and encouraging his comrades throughout the battle, until he was hit again by rocket propelled grenade fire, suffering a devastating shrapnel wound to his head. Doctors performed numerous surgeries but held out little hope that he would ever be fit enough to teach, coach or be involved in sports again. But Larry Estep refused to understand the words, "never again" and set out to prove his doctors wrong. He returned to Oklahoma with a purple heart and the Army commendation medal for heroism, and started the Watonga wrestling program. He coached for 34 years and earned middle school conference titles and Coach-of-the-Year honors in 1981 and 1989, and was named the All-State coach in 1991. For inspiring not only his own wrestlers, but also those competitors and coaches across the mat, Larry Estep is awarded the 2015 Medal of Courage by the Oklahoma Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.